High-valued articles like jewelry and diamond are susceptible for steal and fraud. These items can be protected from steal through safety measures, however, fraud prevention is a complex task as the quality and value of such items can only be determined by trained experts. Even a small difference in the quality of precious metals or diamonds can create a big difference in its value. For example, many gemstones can appear to have the same cut, color, shape and size. So, when a gemstone is given to a jeweler for repair or assessment, there is a chance that it can be swapped with a lower value gemstone having same appearance without the knowledge of customer.
Various measures have been developed to detect the purity and originality of these precious articles and to estimate its real value. Apart from the conventional in-hand analysis of an expert jeweler, Software algorithms have been developed for automation of the task to some extent. The Software use imaging technology to photograph jewelry items at different time intervals and compare the photographs through intelligent algorithms to detect any changes. The Software analyzes the jewelry items by tracking size of stones, table facets, angles, inclusions in gemstones, etc. The laser inscriptions and identification markings, invisible to naked eye, are also used for determining the authenticity. Furthermore, RFID tags are also embedded and hidden inside the jewelry items for the purpose. The Software algorithms use these parameters for determining the originality and genuineness of these precious articles.
US patent application US20140312017A1 describes a system and method for determining authenticity of precious stones (cut diamonds and uncut diamonds) by applying laser marking on the surface of the article. The article surface is irradiated with laser lights of different wavelengths and interference images are stored. The stored data is compared to authenticity-checking interference images to determine the authenticity of the identification marking.
WIPO patent application WO2015023230A1 describes a method and system for certifying and verifying gemstones by capturing image of an inclusion in the gemstone. The image is displayed on a certification document which can be compared to the gemstone viewed through an optical device to determine if the gemstone matches the image. The certification document may also contain additional physical identification data like location of the inclusion using an x, y, z axis, gemstone's appearance, shape, size, weight, measurements, color, refractive index, specific gravity and absorption spectrum.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,373,011 describes system and method for identification and authentication of precious metals and small jewelry items using radio frequency identification (“RFID”) technology. The RFID tag can be embedded in absorbing dielectric medium inside epoxy in a tiny cavity placed in the metal or jewelry. The RFID tag information can be transferred to a computer through the reader, and can be matched with preprogrammed information in a database.
Every piece of jewelry having a gemstone has a set of “gem holders”, commonly known as prongs, which hold the gemstone in place. Prongs are basically small metal rods, part of the jewelry that is bent over to cover a gem and hold it in place. The primary reason why prong settings are preferred by many consumers is that they offer good security while still enabling light to enter the diamond for better brilliance. Besides that, prongs can also be easily modified to higher (makes diamond look larger) or lower positions (doesn't catch onto things easily) depending on person's choice. In addition to prongs, the gem holders setting in the jewelry item can be of various types like bezel, channel set, etc.
The prong setting used for holding the gemstone is an important aspect for determining any changes done to jewelry item or gemstone by the jeweler during repair or assessment. The current technology does not cater to using prong setting for the purpose.